This invention relates to articles which can be selectively secured to a mounting substrate by pressure sensitive adhesive. More particularly, this invention relates to a substrate such as an index card having a writeable surface on one side and a mounting surface on a second opposite side, with a securing mechanism operable via a pressure threshold adhesive mechanism which is selectively exposed on the mounting side of the first substrate. Dependent upon a level of threshold pressure applied to the securing mechanism, the exposed pressure sensitive adhesive is either spaced from the mounting substrate or the article is deformable to bring the pressure sensitive adhesive into article securing engagement with the mounting substrate.
Memories are imperfect. Thus, we often write down things we want to remember at later date. This may be a grocery list, a “to do” list, a speech, study notes, or other information we do not want to forget. For example, a student may take a series of blank index cards and turn them into “flash cards” by writing information on one (or both) sides of each card in preparing for an examination. An individual giving a speech may record notes for that speech on a series of index cards which can be stacked and easily transported or even pocketed. Post-it® brand notes available from 3M Company have also proved quite useful for noting information to be recalled at a later date. A Post-it® brand note is a sheet of paper bearing a band of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive across a back side thereof. A Post-it® brand note can be mounted on any number of surfaces, such as, for example, another sheet of paper, a wall, a mirror, a computer monitor, a refrigerator door, etc. Post-it® brand notes are traditionally distributed in pad form, with adjacent notes adhered to one another by the repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive thereon. The notes stick together whenever placed adjacent one another, and thus are not easily shuffled or rearrangeable in stacked form without peel separation of the adhesive therebetween.
Index cards come traditionally in 3×5 inch or 4×6 inch formats and are typically made from stiff, more durable paper than note paper. There is no adhesive on an index card and it is easily shuffled among a stack of index cards. To stick an index card on a wall or other surface, adding a separate strip of tape may be used. However, it would be desirable to selectively adhere an index card to a surface (such as a wall, sheet of paper or the like) yet retain the ability to shuffle a stack of such index cards (i.e., not have adjacent index cards always adhere together) without having to go to the trouble of removing a tape strip from each index card.